ATOMIC STRUCTURE
An ATOM is the smallest indivisible particle of an element.
Example:
Sodium (Na) has sodium atoms which builds up a sodium element, and the
number of these sodium atoms in ONE mole of sodium element is 6.022x 10 23.
An ELEMENT is a substance that is made up of similar atoms.
It is also defined as a substance which cannot be broken down into any simpler
substances by ordinary chemical means.
A COMPOUND is a substance made up of two or more elements chemically
joined/combined.
Examples:
Sodium chloride (NaCl)
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) etc
A MIXTURE is a substance made up of two or more substances physically
combined.
Examples:
- Petroleum is a mixture of hydrocarbons/fuels
- Sea water is a mixture of water and different kinds of salts
- Air is mixture of different gases (nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and
nobles gases).
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Differences between mixtures and compounds
Mixtures Compounds
Do not have a fixed Have a fixed composition by
composition by mass mass
Its properties are similar to its Has different properties from its
components/elements. Eg iron original elements. Eg iron II
filings in the mixture retain sulfide does not look like its
their colour, texture and original elements and has no
magnetic property magnetic properties
Can be easily separated into its Cannot be separated into its
components by physical original components/elements
methods like filtration, by physical methods; a chemical
evaporation, distillation or reaction is necessary to separate
using a magnet. the elements
Usually no heat or light is Gives out heat and light due to
produced when the mixture is chemical change
formed. No chemical change
has taken place
SUB-ATOMIC PARTICLES
An atom has 3 subatomic particles, which are:
- Protons
- Electrons
- Neutrons
The protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus of an atom, and the
electrons surrounding the nucleus in electronic shells/orbitals/energy levels.
NB: Electrons are negatively charged (e), protons are positively charged (p) and
neutrons are neutrally charged, ie have no charge.
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Subatomic Relative mass
particle position (amu) charge symbol
Proton
electron
neutron
ATOMIC NUMBER/PROTON NUMBER
This is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. Eg aluminium atom has
13 protons therefore its atomic number is 13.
NB: Atomic number is also called PROTON NUMBER
Symbol; Z
MASS NUMBER/RELATIVE ATOMIC MASS
This is the total number (sum) of the protons and neutrons found in the nucleus
of an atom. The MASS number is also called the NUCLEON NUMBER
Symbol; A
NB: In an atom the number of protons is always equal to the number of
electrons.
the number of neutrons = mass number – atomic number
ARRANGEMENT OF ELECTRONS IN ELECTRONIC SHELLS
This arrangement is applicable for the first 20 elements (from hydrogen to
calcium)
# the first electronic shell can accommodate/carry a maximum number of only 2
electrons.
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# the second, third and the fourth electronic shell can accommodate a maximum
of 8 electrons each.
NB: All atoms have a neutral charge. This is because the number of protons which
are positively charged is equal to the number of electrons which are negatively
charged.
Electronic configuration: this is the arrangement of electrons in shells.
Electronic structures/ dots and cross diagrams
Examples:
Draw the dot or cross diagrams showing arrangement of electrons in the
following atoms and give their Electronic configuration
1. Sodium
2. Boron
3. Nitrogen
Exercise
Draw the dot or cross diagrams (electronic diagrams) showing arrangement of
electrons for element 1 to 20 and give their Electronic configuration
element Number of Number of Electronic Electronic Number of
protons electrons diagram configuration neutrons
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VALENCY
This is the combining power of atoms.
Valency is the number of electrons that atoms can lose or gain in order to attain A
NOBLE GAS configuration.
NOBLE GAS CONFIGURATION is the electron arrangement in which the
outermost/last shell is full of electrons, ie outermost shell having maximum
number of electrons a shell can accommodate.
Eg He
NB: For groups 1,2,3 and 4 valency= group number
For groups 5,6,7 and 8 valency= 8-group number
element Group Valency
number
sodium
Calcium
oxygen
fluorine
chlorine
aluminium
argon
Valence electrons
This is the total number of electrons found in the outermost shell of an atom.
These are the electrons that are involved in chemical reactions, (this happens
when atoms either gain or lose electrons or share electrons)
DIAGRAM
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ISOTOPES
Isotopes are atoms of the same element with the same number of protons but
different number of neutrons.
OR
These are atoms of the same element that have the same atomic number but
different mass numbers.
Examples
1. Isotopes of hydrogen
Isotope Isotope Number Number Number Mass Atomic
Name symbol of of of number number
protons electrons neutrons
Hydrogen
Deuterium
Tritium
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2. Isotopes of carbon
Isotope Isotope Number Number Number Mass Atomic
Name symbol of of of number number
protons electrons neutrons
Carbon-12
Carbon-13
Carbon-14
3. Isotopes of chlorine
Isotope Isotope Number Number Number Mass Atomic
Name symbol of of of number number
protons electrons neutrons
Chlorine-35
Chlorine-37
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NB: isotopes of chlorine are found to differ in relative percentage
abundance in nature.
Example
It is found out that there is 75% of chlorine-35 and 25% of chlorine-37. We
can use these values to calculate the average mass of chlorine atom.
